As people of action, Rotary members want to find ways to respond to COVID-19, and to help people affected by it. The Rotary Foundation offers several options that Rotarians can use to help care for and protect people in their own communities and others around the world.
District Grants
Districts can use district grant funds to support local activities, like purchasing thermometers, protective medical gear, or other items to donate to medical professionals who need them. Districts can also use contingency funds from an open district grant or repurpose previously planned activities as a COVID-19 response. As districts prepare to submit new district grant applications for 2020-21, we encourage you to designate funds for COVID-19 responses. As a one-time exception, the Foundation will allow expenses related to COVID-19 that were incurred since 15 March 2020 to be reimbursed through 2020-21 district grants.
Disaster Response Grants and Rotary’s Disaster Response Fund
Rotary’s disaster response grants provide a fast and effective way to respond to local events. The Rotary Foundation recently added COVID-19 projects to its list of eligible activities for these grants. Each district can apply for one grant (of up to $25,000) to address COVID-19, depending on the availability of funds. Disaster response grants are funded by the Rotary Disaster Response Fund to help districts around the world respond to disasters. The fund accepts online contributions and DDF. Districts may designate that their DDF contributions to the Disaster Response Fund be used exclusively for COVID-19 grant activities. Cash contributions will be used for general disaster response, including response to COVID-19.
What Rotary Disaster Response Grants Support
Districts that have been affected by natural disasters can use Rotary disaster response grants to launch their own projects or work with established relief organizations to help their communities recover. Grant funds can be used to provide basic items such as water, food, medicine, and clothing. Grant funds can also be used to support COVID-19 activities. Districts should work closely with local officials and groups to ensure that the funding will meet a specific community need.
Districts that have been affected by natural disasters can use Rotary disaster response grants to launch their own projects or work with established relief organizations to help their communities recover. Grant funds can be used to provide basic items such as water, food, medicine, and clothing. Grant funds can also be used to support COVID-19 activities. Districts should work closely with local officials and groups to ensure that the funding will meet a specific community need.
Who Can Apply For A Disaster Response Grant
Once qualified for Rotary grants, districts in an affected area or country may apply for a maximum grant of $25,000, based on the availability of funds. A district may apply for subsequent grants after it successfully reports outcomes from previous grants. Districts may receive no more than one disaster response grant to support COVID-19 activities.
Once qualified for Rotary grants, districts in an affected area or country may apply for a maximum grant of $25,000, based on the availability of funds. A district may apply for subsequent grants after it successfully reports outcomes from previous grants. Districts may receive no more than one disaster response grant to support COVID-19 activities.
How To Apply For A Disaster Response Grant
The district governor and district Rotary Foundation chair complete the Rotary Disaster Response Grant Application and send it to grants@rotary.org.
List of Approved Disaster Response Grants For COVID-19 Response
View the list of Districts and projects across the globe which have already been approved for and/or received Disaster Response Grants from TRF
Global Grants
The Rotary Foundation also offers funding to support long-term disaster recovery efforts through Global Grants which remain an excellent way to make a transformative impact in a community. If medical equipment is needed in order to respond effectively to COVID-19, global grants can help pay for these items. The Foundation is waiving the 30 percent foreign financing requirement for any new global grant that addresses COVID-19. Note that these grants still require both a host and international partner.
For additional information, contact your regional grants officer.